Key Takeaways
- UL Solutions has issued its first certification under UL 6260, a new framework for remotely operated robots used in hazardous locations, to ExRobotics for its ExR-2.5 inspection robot.
- The ExR-2.5 was evaluated for fire, explosion, electric shock, and mechanical hazards — including testing under fault conditions and in scenarios where explosive atmospheres may be present during routine operations.
- UL 6260 covers robots across a range of industries including oil and gas, petrochemical processing, agriculture, transportation, pharmaceutical, energy, and mining.
- The certification programme addresses a gap in the market for safely deploying robotic inspection and maintenance tools in environments where explosive gases, vapours, or dusts may be present.
- The ExR-2.5 certification positions ExRobotics at the forefront of a broader shift toward removing people from high-risk inspection environments in favour of remotely operated systems.
ExRobotics Earns First UL 6260 Certification for Hazardous Location Robot
ExRobotics has become the first company to achieve certification under UL 6260, a new UL Solutions framework for evaluating remotely operated robots used in hazardous locations. The certification covers ExRobotics' ExR-2.5 inspection robot, which is designed for deployment in environments where explosive gases, vapours, or dusts may be present — including facilities across agriculture, oil and gas, petrochemical processing, pharmaceuticals, and mining.
The UL 6260 standard, formally titled the Outline of Investigation for Remotely-Operated Inspection and Maintenance Equipment for Hazardous (Classified) Locations, was developed to address the absence of a recognised safety evaluation framework for robotic equipment operating in classified hazardous environments as defined by the National Electrical Code (NEC).
What the Certification Covers
To achieve certification, UL Solutions tested the ExR-2.5 across a range of risk categories, including fire, explosion, electric shock, and mechanical hazards. Evaluation encompassed the robot's batteries, electrical systems, and mechanical components under both normal and fault conditions, including in scenarios where explosive atmospheres could be present during routine inspection operations. The core safety question the standard addresses is whether the robotic equipment itself could become an ignition source in those environments.
“Robots are changing how tasks are performed in hazardous locations by helping move people out of harm's way. This first UL 6260 certification helps advance our mission of working for a safer world and supports the adoption of robotics in dangerous environments,” said Alex Dadakis, Executive Vice President and President of Testing, Inspection and Certification at UL Solutions.
ExRobotics and the Shift to Remote Inspection
For operators in process-heavy industries, replacing human inspectors with remotely operated robots in classified hazardous zones reduces exposure to risk, improves inspection frequency, and supports continuity of operations. The UL 6260 certification gives ExRobotics' customers a formally verified safety baseline for deploying the ExR-2.5 in those environments.
“Earning the first UL 6260 certification is an important milestone for our customers and the industry. It confirms our ExR-2.5 robot meets safety requirements for use in hazardous locations, giving our customers confidence in robotic solutions,” said Mark Mildon, CEO of ExRobotics.
The UL 6260 framework is designed to be broad in scope, covering robots that use a range of motion types and power sources, and applicable across multiple industries where hazardous location designations apply.
